South East Water warns up to 280,000 could lose supply this winter

Following an exceptionally dry spring and summer, Ardingly Reservoir's level dropped to 20.2% full, down from 22.8% a week earlier, threatening the water supply for roughly 280,000 residents of Haywards Heath, West Sussex and nearby East Sussex communities. John Halsall, chief executive of South East Water, described the situation as under "severe pressure" and warned that standpipes could become a common sight on British streets for the first time in 50 years.

The firm ended exemptions to a months-long hosepipe ban in Sussex, expecting the restrictions to stay in place until next year, yet water demand fell only about 5%, short of the targeted 10% reduction. Halsall also cited a rise in burst pipes caused by the dried-out ground, which has undermined customer trust after visible leaks appeared across Tunbridge Wells and other towns. While last year the reservoir recovered thanks to higher rainfall, officials are now considering upgrades to treatment works and increasing upstream flow from the river Ouse. Nationwide, reservoir storage sits at roughly 54% of capacity, about a fifth below the seasonal average, and the Environment Agency says an additional 20% above-average rainfall is needed by the end of April to lift England out of drought status.